DESCRIPTION: (taken from the investigator's abstract) The most significant limitation experienced by the large and growing number of older individuals with visual impairment is reduced ability to read. This in turn reduces independence, productivity, and privacy, and limits opportunities for intellectual stimulation. While many elders still shun computers and other electronic devices, the older generation is increasingly made up of individuals who are comfortable with, and indeed depend on computer displays for much of their reading. The long term objective of this research is to develop a software product specifically designed for the older vision-impaired reader that a user can customize the typography of a text display with continuous adjustment of parameters of letter spacing, letter stroke width, letter aspect ratio, and serif size, as well as point size, for best legibility. Phase I research will test the feasibility of the concept by developing a variable parameter font, and assessing inter- and intra-subject variability of parameter adjustment, reading acuity and reading speed, by a sample of individuals with functional reading impairments resulting from a range of visual disorders. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Proposed commercial application not available.